Stunned
by his stroke of fate, Ruggerino agreed to meet the dealer that afternoon to
explore the underground art markets of Paris.

“We
were walking through alleyways and there were homeless people and gangs
everywhere,” he says. “We got to this big garage
door and he makes a phone call, and the door started to open. Suddenly, I saw
posters. It was like a dream.”

Today,
Ruggerino is one of Australia’s only vintage poster dealers -- the rogue
newcomer cracked the boutique industry.

Along
with running Verde restaurant in East Sydney, he sells posters at national fairs
and exhibits a selection at the Sydney Antique Centre in Darlinghurst.

But
his true love is his private collection.

Sifting through roll after roll of
posters on the floor of his apartment, Ruggerino admits he’s lost track
of the amount he’s collected over the years.

Some of his favorites -- mostly by
Italian artist Leonetto Cappiello -- adorn the walls of his Bondi flat. Others
hang on his friends' walls.

“My lawyer’s office is full of posters,” he says.

The vintage poster he won't sell

So
which poster does he prize the most?

"The Vichy," Ruggerino's most prized poster. Despite handsome offers, he refuses to sell.

“The
Vichy,” he says, without skipping a beat. “It’s a two-piece bus panel from the
1970s, advertising a festival in Vichy, France.

"The condition is amazing -- the
colors are so vibrant. It’s almost like it’s never been seen by the sun. It
brings such an amazing energy to the room and it’s so rare. The amount of
people who want to buy it from me is unbelievable, but I won’t sell.”

Antonio’s collection can be viewed on his website or
by visiting the gallery at the Sydney Antique Centre, 531 South Dowling St.,
Surry Hills; +61 (0)2 9361 3244